9th April 2014

The Party Fragrance Collection

One of the (many) things that I love about Escentual is their diverse range of fragrances. On the site you’ll find your staple brands such as; Guerlain, Dior and Thierry Mugler etc. (all must haves in my opinion) as well as slightly more niche and indie brands like Etat Libre d’Orange, Olfactive Studio and Amouage. This means that whatever type of scent one is looking for, Escentual has a wide base to pick from.

Being a lover of fragrance, one wants to explore every aspect of the perfume world, seeking out those scents that are more unique and underexposed. After all, wearing perfume is such a personal experience that one wishes to find something that isn’t being worn by just about everyone else on the street. It’s good to smell different and there are many brands out there, flying under the radar with a whole entire range of unique, interesting and beautiful-smelling perfumes.

The Party Fragranceis one brand that doesn’t get quite as much exposure as it deserves. Created by the former president and co-owner of Italian house Acqua di Parma and his two friends, they boast a collection of modern perfumes created in a classic style, taking one’s nose on a trip around the world to jazz clubs in Manhattan, a plethora of English gardens and the Italian city of Bologna. It’s quite a ride so buckle up your seatbelts and prepare for your nose to be beguiled and impressed.

The Party in Manhattan is a 100% natural fragrance that was launched in 2006 but smells more in tune with something from the 1920s. It is best summed up as a big, classical floral chypre in the grand old style. You know the type I mean, this is a fragrance that calls on the fruity chypre facets of Guerlain’s Mitsouko and the floral rose and jasmine aspects of Jean Patou’s Joy to create a timeless and luxurious perfume straight out of the jazz age.

As far as fragrances go, this one is super glam with a veritable feast of notes. It opens with tart fruits underpinned by waves and waves of cumin and clove spice – the effect is pure, shimmering gold. The flowers in the heart are raucous and loud, almost symphonic even, with jasmine, rose, ylang ylang and iris coming together to create a multi-faceted bouquet that at once, smells sweet, heady, spicy and green.

The Party in Manhattan is, like her name would suggest, a party girl. She knows how to have a good time and is most likely seen out, painting the town red before hitting up the jazz club, where she can be found smoking cigarettes, drinking bourbon and kissing someone else’s husband. She’s loud, proud, utterly fearless and darn beautiful to boot. Who knew that an old school fragrance could be quite so much fun?

The Ten Party is The Party’s masculine fragrance. It is inspired by a group of ten friends who have been meeting in Bologna for over 20 years, joining together for commercial and philanthropic ventures. Compared to its female counterpart (The Party in Manhattan) it appears to impeccably well behaved and cuts more of an unassuming and relaxed figure.

Smelling the Ten Party it’s quite easy to see the link between The Party Fragrances and Acqua di Parma, and this masculine fragrance embodies the spirit of Italian chic in a zesty and woody cologne that is effortlessly stylish. It opens with acerbic bergamot complimented by strong inflections of lavender and petit grain, before settling into a more herbal and lumber-esque impression.

There’s a rich, oaky core that sits at the very heart of The Ten Party and provides a warm, orangey glow throughout. Whilst it may be less of a riotous experience than The Party in Manhattan, The Ten Party does share a sparkling aura with its sister scent, especially as it settles into the base where peppery woods, incense and patchouli come into play.

The Ten Party is a super stylish masculine fragrance for any occasion. It’s smart enough to be coupled with a sharp Italian suit but at the same time it wouldn’t feel entirely out of place paired with worn jeans and a leather jacket. Versatility is the mark of a good masculine fragrance and The Ten Party captures the idea of casual luxury perfectly.

The Garden Party fragrances are perfumes inspired by English country gardens populated by lace-clad ladies sipping tea and eating cakes. That may lead one to think that these are prim and proper florals evocative of dainty frills, pastel pink fondant fancies and a megaton of doilies. But the truth is really quite different and these florals are anything but shy and retiring.

The Iris is an incredibly sweet take on nature’s most gothic flower. Iris usually smells rooty, earthy and of grey powder but The Party’s take on orris is a suitably feminine fragrance that smells like baby powder and vanilla. There are many baby powder-esque scents out there but most err on the wrong side of cloying and tend to be rather heavy interpretations of something that is supposed to be so light. This iris gets the balance right, making for a sweet and rosy iris powder with warm sandalwood in the base to give a weightier feel.

Tuberose and Wistaria are the greener ones of the bunch. The Tuberose is suitably hot and mentholated, as many tuberoses are, ramping up the more natural and crisp elements of the flower rather than playing to the more carnal and Diva-esque facets that are so famously played out in classic fragrances such as Robert Piguet’s Fracas. Wistaria is even greener, capturing the essence of ivy-clad buildings and unruly vines. All of which is paired with vibrant orange blossom and a warm, balsamic base.

Frangipane is the most outlandish of The Party’s floral quartet, evoking the spirit of a more tropical garden than the prim and proper British onesmentioned by the brand. From it’s spicy and heady start of jammy fruits to its heart of indolic jasmine and hot-breath effect of osmanthus, Frangipane is exotic, enticing and more than just a little bit erotic. Who said that flowers had to play things safe? This one definitely doesn’t!